The Hindu : International : Eschew violence, says Saudi cleric

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 21, 2005

International

International

Eschew violence, says Saudi cleric

MECCA, JAN. 20. A leading Saudi cleric warned Muslims today against heeding militant calls to wage terror attacks in the name of Islam.

Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Sudeis, the state-appointed preacher at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, told pilgrims in a sermon to mark Id that scholars must preach moderation to confront this ``putrid'' phenomenon.

Militants were using ``misguided and void'' interpretations to justify violence, he said, in comments that came amid a surge in militant attacks in Muslim countries and beyond.

``Because Muslims have strayed from moderation, we are now suffering from this dangerous phenomenon of branding people infidels and inciting Muslims to rise against their leaders to cause instability,'' Sheikh Sudeis said.

``The reason for this is a delinquent and void interpretation of Islam based on ignorance ... faith does not mean killing Muslims or non-Muslims who live among us, it does not mean shedding blood, terrorising or sending body parts flying.''

His sermon was dedicated to 2.5 million Muslims who are performing the Haj pilgrimage in the kingdom, battling a campaign of violence by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network which has declared the pro-U.S. Saudi rulers apostates.

Saudi Arabia has deployed thousands of security forces in the holy sites to prevent possible attacks during the Haj.

Sheikh Sudeis warned Islamist extremism would ruin the Muslim nation, adding: ``This phenomenon has expanded so much that scholars must confront it with concrete proof from Islam to protect our youth from its stench and putridness.''

Saudi Arabia practises Wahhabism, an austere form of Islam. Western governments and moderate clerics have said this brand of faith, which rules every aspect of daily life, was fomenting extremism.

Yesterday, the kingdom's top cleric, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, said Islam was under attack by the West which is equating the faith with ``terrorism and backwardness.'' He urged Muslims to fight off these campaigns by showing the true nature of Islam. — Reuters

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